Fostering Panel Advisor- Care Resources na London Borough of Lewisham

 Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities! We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

It's an exciting time to join us - Lewisham is a wave 2 Pathfinder authority and is leading the way on national reforms to social work practice through the Families First for Children programme.

Introduction

An exciting opportunity is available as a Fostering Panel Advisor with Lewisham Council—a role at the very heart of supporting children, young people, their carers. As a borough committed to making a genuine difference, Lewisham is recruiting to ensure we provide the highest standards in fostering, securing positive, lasting outcomes for every child in our care.

We are seeking an experienced practitioner with a passion for promoting a child’s welfare, a practitioner who is commitment to excellence, and has a collaborative approach to panel advice and guidance. If you want to play a pivotal role in shaping fostering services in a vibrant, diverse community, this could be the next step in your career.

What’s the role?

We are seeking an experienced Fostering Panel Advisor to join our dedicated team and contribute to high-quality, transparent, and child-centred decision-making processes. In this position, you will be responsible for advising the Fostering Panel on legislative, procedural, and policy matters, ensuring that all recommendations are robust, well-founded, and in the best interests of each child.

You will work closely with panel members, social workers, carers, and external professionals, providing advice and challenge to maintain the highest standards of safeguarding and child welfare. The role demands a strong understanding of fostering regulations and statutory guidance, as well as the ability to interpret complex information and present it clearly to a range of audiences.

Your key responsibilities will include:

•To ensure statutory requirements are met under Fostering Regulations 2011, National Minimum Standards March 2011, The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review  (England)  Regulations 2010 and Children’s Act 2004.

• To assist the agency, in consultation with the panels’ chairpersons, in the appointment, termination and review of members of the fostering panels.
• To be responsible for the induction programme for new panel members.
• To be responsible, in partnership with the panels’ chairpersons, for the panels’ developmental days.
• To be responsible for liaison between the agency and the fostering panel.
• To be responsible, with the panels’ chairpersons, for the performance, monitoring fostering panel’s members.
• To ensure that the fostering panels are appropriately administered.
• To monitor and develop standards of social work practice, contributing to the development of procedures, documentation and criteria.
• To assure the quality of papers prepared for panel, ensuring that all relevant papers are available and of the required standard.
• To contribute to effective decision-making in childcare planning, ensuring that children with a fostering plan are progressed through the process appropriately.
• To be a point of reference for Children’s Services staff in relation to the fostering panels’ policies, procedures and expectations.
• To ensure that the Fostering Panels undertake reviews of carers as required and consistent with regulation and guidance.
• To ensure decisions are communicated to applicants approved foster carers following panel recommendations and agency’s decision makers’ determinations.
• To develop policy and procedures for new service developments including consultation with internal staff, external agencies and when appropriate elected members.
• To assist and where appropriate to take the lead in planning, implementing and informing operational staff and other stakeholders of developments in policy, procedure and practice.

What’s in it for you?

Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What we’re looking for

If you want to work in a thriving borough and our social work vision connects with your professional values, then we are interested in hearing from you. We are looking for people to join our team who:

• value the importance of communication and seeking feedback
• can inspire and motivate those they work with, manage and lead
• are committed to developing their skills and expertise to deliver an excellent service
• are professionally curious and value thinking slowly and calmly in a balanced way
• work inclusively, collaboratively with others recognising their strengths
• take responsibility and make a positive contribution by focusing on solutions
• are transparent, are appreciative in enquiry, reflect and learn.

Location

The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.

Special conditions

• The post holder must have a social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England 
• The job is subject to an enhanced DBS check

The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CV’s.

Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

For an informal discussion about this job, please contact [email protected]

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification

Please click here for a letter from our Director

Please click here for our visons and values

Salary

£60,633-£62,742 per annum (SCP 45-47)

N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply  

The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email [email protected] and an advisor will be in touch with you.   

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response. 

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